Since I read a post saying windsurfing decline, and read that at least 3 posters thought it was the opposite I wrote this one.

I feel in my country windsurfing was growing slow but growing in the last 6 years, but since 1 year ago I feel that low speed of growing is now medium to fast speed growing...

I think new ideas in windsurfing has influenced a lot and is taking windsurfers back to their sport and is catching new people in the sport. Clubs want to have a windsurf school and its becoming more popular in kids too.

i did notice that i find more and more people that windsurf too. But very few are new to the sport, most of them have been at it for a couple of years. But windsurfing is losing ground though, it had it massive growth in the 80ies, declined in the 90, regrew but then came kitesurfing which is attracting a lot of sailors.

> I think new ideas in windsurfing has influenced a lot and is taking windsurfers back
> to their sport and is catching new people in the sport.

I know very few that were sailing 10 years ago, were waiting for some improvement, and are coming back just *because* Starboard introduced a new this-that thing. Those few that are coming are 45-50 and resuming their old sport on whatever is not a 70-liter sinker.

> Clubs want to have a windsurf school and its becoming more popular in kids too.

Yeah, there a few of those, very few.

> People coming back from kiting.

I would not count those are "new" arrivals. Very best case, it's statu quo there.

well, i dont think Starboard is the only one influencing the sport.
I see starboard doing a great job in Serenity, Apollos and for sure other type of light wind boards, but other companies are doing good job. Exocet is doing a great job and I see people in North supporting a great job in Florida for example. I see also, more and more people in Caribbeand around freestyling in light wind conditions. No maneouvers in any sport can be done in 6 knots...yes, you can do them in windsurfing. Just check Bonaire people and how this ideas are being spread in the world.

About kiting, its ok, its growing too, but I dont think kite compares to windsurf. People can kite and windsurf or windsurf and kite or windsurf and surf or windsurf and wake or windsurfing and skate or windsurf and work. Its just another sport there that shares the same conditions. But I think are different and I hear in lots of places that people is attracted to windsurfing now when maybe 2-4 years ago it was not happening.

Why do so many people have these hangups about promoting our sport.
Wether its a minority or has mass appeal actually makes no difference to those already involved. The sport is always going to survive; if folk want to get nvolved thats fine; if they leave thats fine too.If they kite surf fine.Live and let live.
We spend to much time trying to attract new customers. Its silly.
Information is so readilly available everyone knows what the sport is.
Just get on with sailing and enjoy it.
Our best advert is enjoying it no whinging about lack of numbers.

To some extent I agree with you. However, as the number of windsurfers grows, the more competition there is between the manufacturers, which equals more R & D, so the bottom line is better gear for the users at a better price. The greater the production numbers, the lower the price to you and me.

I found this interesting thought from a site called LBWS on Longboards.

"Lessons from other sports"

Written by Chris Thompson

When sales of new boards started to decline, many high-wind fanatics blamed the drop on everything else in sight –the weather, the kids of today….. Others blamed the rising popularity of other sports, but that ignored the fact that one reason that sports like kiting and wakeboarding were growing was because (unlike high wind sailing) they didn’t demand good conditions. The resurgence of long surfboards was a perfect example. In the early ‘80s, those of us who surfed longboards were a mocked minority, like longboarder windsurfers were just a couple of years ago. Today longboard surfboards sell about as well as short surfboards, and the laid-back soulful longboard style could be a model for windsurfing’s future. Kiting was also attractive because it’s fun in light winds. Bruno Legaignoux, co-inventor of the sport, warned kiters about following windsurfing’s path; “remember (windsurfers saying) "Hey guy, how many cambers do you have ? Only six ? ... and your board, what size ? 2.26m ? Too bad! mine is 2.195m !". Windsurfing is dying for this reason. "

I found this interesting thought from a site called LBWS on Longboards.

Windsurfing is dying for this reason. "

Is that a fact is it? Dying?, big statement, Windsurfing is growing where I live, bigger numbers over the last 2 years, more and more windsurfers on the water!! Local windsurf shops report biggest sales in years, better get your facts right

To some extent I agree with you. However, as the number of windsurfers grows, the more competition there is between the manufacturers, which equals more R & D, so the bottom line is better gear for the users at a better price. The greater the production numbers, the lower the price to you and me.

Let it grow, let it grow.

not only that but a growth in the profile of the sport would attract bigger sponsors to events leading to bigger events with more publicity, even if you don't compete it can be good to see these events with pro sailors pushing the boundaries.